Drug raid leads to arrests

Two men removed from Alton duplex by police early Tuesday

There was no shortage of firepower at the scene of an ILEAS tactical raid Tuesday morning in the 400 block of Jefferson Street in Alton. An officer sits in the rear of one of the ballistic vehicles, armed with a sniper’s rifle, as they prepare to leave the scene.

A heavily armed tactical team member keeps a sharp eye on the perimeter of the duplex as the prisoners are loaded for transport to jail. Detectives remained on the scene for at least an hour after the raid.

Members of the ILEAS tactical team secure a prisoner Tuesday, one of two people arrested, as they wait for a transport police car in the 400 block of Jefferson Street in Alton following the raid of a rear apartment of a duplex. More than a dozens officers arrived at the address early in the morning in two heavily armored ballistic vehicles along with other Alton police.

ALTON — Neighbors who tipped off the city’s Nuisance Abatement Task Force about a suspected drug house could see a contingent of law enforcement converge on a duplex Tuesday and arrest two men.

“Several citizens called us about them in August or September, and the Nuisance Abatement Task Force went to that address,” said Alton Police Chief Jason “Jake” Simmons of the duplex in the 400 block of Jefferson Avenue. “Our Drug Unit set up surveillance and did an undercover drug buy. They did a phenomenal job.”

The heavily armed and fortified contingent of police officers and deputies from multiple agencies in the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System — some from APD — assisted the department in carrying out a search warrant for the rear unit of the duplex shortly after 9 a.m.

The authorities had arrived in APD’s BEAR (Ballistic Engineered Armored Response) vehicle and the similar, but smaller BEAR Cat from the Madison County Sheriff’s Department. Among those on the scene was Simmons.

He declined to say what type of drug the men allegedly were selling from that residence, only saying it was a “controlled substance.” Simmons said he expects the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office to charge the men with felony offenses on Wednesday.

The Telegraph will publish the suspects’ names and charges, once issued.

Simmons said police appreciate people calling if they suspect drug activity at a location, evidenced by Tuesday’s arrests.

The task force — comprised of police, animal control and Alton Building and Zoning staff — makes rounds of addresses in the city where there are suspected building code violations and illegal drug activity. Some of the visits are prompted by tips from neighbors and other citizens.

“The Nuisance Abatement Task Force is about eight years old and we rely on neighbors to call us,” he said. “This is an example of neighbors calling the police department” and it taking action.

People also may submit a tip online by going to: http://www.altonpolice.com, pulling down “contact us” page, going to “report drug house” in the left hand column, filling in the form and submitting it to APD.

There was no shortage of firepower at the scene of an ILEAS tactical raid Tuesday morning in the 400 block of Jefferson Street in Alton. An officer sits in the rear of one of the ballistic vehicles, armed with a sniper’s rifle, as they prepare to leave the scene.

http://thetelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_ILEASRaid3JUMP.jpgThere was no shortage of firepower at the scene of an ILEAS tactical raid Tuesday morning in the 400 block of Jefferson Street in Alton. An officer sits in the rear of one of the ballistic vehicles, armed with a sniper’s rifle, as they prepare to leave the scene.

A heavily armed tactical team member keeps a sharp eye on the perimeter of the duplex as the prisoners are loaded for transport to jail. Detectives remained on the scene for at least an hour after the raid.

http://thetelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_ILEASRaid2SECONDARY.jpgA heavily armed tactical team member keeps a sharp eye on the perimeter of the duplex as the prisoners are loaded for transport to jail. Detectives remained on the scene for at least an hour after the raid.

Members of the ILEAS tactical team secure a prisoner Tuesday, one of two people arrested, as they wait for a transport police car in the 400 block of Jefferson Street in Alton following the raid of a rear apartment of a duplex. More than a dozens officers arrived at the address early in the morning in two heavily armored ballistic vehicles along with other Alton police.

http://thetelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_ILEASRaid1LEAD.jpgMembers of the ILEAS tactical team secure a prisoner Tuesday, one of two people arrested, as they wait for a transport police car in the 400 block of Jefferson Street in Alton following the raid of a rear apartment of a duplex. More than a dozens officers arrived at the address early in the morning in two heavily armored ballistic vehicles along with other Alton police.